Study shows white boys from poorer backgrounds are falling behind

White pupils – especially boys – from poorer backgrounds are falling further behind their peers than any other group, according to a landmark report from the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

Is Britain Fairer? was published on Friday and contains a wide range of findings concerning education, the economy, justice, health and society.

The report identified that only 28.3% of white boys eligible to receive free school meals achieved five GCSEs at A to C (including maths and English) while 59.1% of other white boys meet this target.

ASDAN can help to combat this issue by engaging pupils in skills-based qualifications centred on active learning, which can also raise attainment in traditional academic subjects.

A study by the University of the West of England into ASDAN’s Certificate of Personal Effectiveness qualification revealed that pupils who completed the qualification were more likely to achieve five high-grade GCSEs than those who didn’t, and the impact was particularly significant for those from less privileged educational groups.

For example, in non-CoPE schools there is an 8.6% gap in the proportion of high KS3 attainers who go on to achieve five good GCSEs, depending on whether they receive free school meals. For those who undertake CoPE, this deficit is reduced to just 2.9%.